Convictions Rolling Down for Major Hackers

Albert Gonzalez, the convicted ringleader of a major hacking and thieving operation that cost credit unions millions of dollars, still awaits sentencing by a federal court. But as he awaits his fate, the cases of his co-conspirators are being resolved, according to court documents.

The latest is Humza Zaman, 33, former network programmer for Barclay's Bank. Zaman pled guilty to being part of the back-end, money laundering part of the Gonzalez operation rather than the hacking part.

Prosecutors charged Zaman with helping Gonzalex repatriate American currency that purchasers of the stolen card data paid for the information.

"In late 2005 and early 2006, Zaman traveled to California at Gonzalez's direction on approximately three occasions," the prosecutors said in a memo, which supported their recommendation that Zaman serve 46 months in federal prison with other penalties.

"There, he met with an unknown man of apparent Eastern European descent. On each occasion, Zaman picked up between $50,000 and $370,000 in currency. Zaman then put the currency, minus his cut, in Federal Express boxes and shipped the money using a fictitious name to Gonzalez in Miami," the prosecutors added.

In the end the court agreed with the prosecutors, sentencing Zaman to 46 months in prison and a fine of $75,000.